Automatic anticlog salt shaker



Oct. 10, 1950 M -A, ADAMS 2,525,331

AUTOMATIC ANTICLOG SALT SHAKER Filed July 23. 1948 9 IN V EN TOR.

I MOZEL A. ADAMS /2 /0 7 BY Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES kATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC ANTIOLOG SALT SHAKER Mozel A. Adams, Evangeline, La.

Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,347 2' Claims. (01. 222-150) This invention relates to salt and condiment shakers, andparticularly to a salt shaker equipped with automatic anti-clogging means.

The main object of my invention is to provide a salt shaker of the indicated character which contains, simple means operated automatically upon handling the shaker and effective to eliminate clogging of the discharge outlet thereof.

Another object is to provide such a salt shaker which has an internal anti-clogging member movably guided and. cooperating with the discharge opening' to maintain the latter free of concretions of salt at all times.

A further object is'to have a saltshaker of'the mentioned type in'. which theinternal antiecl'ogging member is not only slidably guided, but resiliently supported in position to be effectively operated upon standing the. shaker on a support.

It is also an object of the invention to pro duce a. shaker as outlined which may be made of attractive materials at low cost, to encourage general distribution, and adoption of the, shaker.

Other objects and advantages-of my invention will appear in further detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for a proper appreciation of. the salient features thereof, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure l is an elevation of a salt shaker made according to the invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same shaker takenon line 2-2 in Figure. 3;

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the salt shakertaken on. line 3---3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is another elevation similar to Figure 1 showing internal detailby fragmentary removal of partsv a 71 p In thevariousviews, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

As salt is a staple article of diet universally used, various means have been employed for keeping it available at the table, the most common being by means of different forms of salt shakers. Due to the presence of magnesium salts and others in the common salt on the market,

the latter is slightly hygroscopic so as to attract moisture and become caked, with the result that discharge openings of salt shakers soon become clogged with adhering concretions of salt preventing further use of the shaker involved until the openings are cleared and the salt within also anti-clog salt shaker, generally indicated at 5,

primarily includes a hollow cylindrically-shaped body 6 which has a reduced threaded portion '1; at the lower end thereof normally screwed into a base 8 having a corresponding internal threaded portion 9 and an inwardly-directed annular flange I'll upon which is located a resilient rubber or plastic disc II, the flange Ill having a central circular opening l2 across which the resilient disc I l' is suspended.

Upon the upper end of the shaker body 6 is an internally-threaded portion I 3 into which a reduced threaded extending portion M of a cap I 5 is normally screwed, the roof or top 16 of the cap being rounded to form a dome through which an axial aperture I! is bored to form a discharge opening for the salt within the shaker. Within the shaker body is an axially-disposed movable rod l8 having a pointed upper end 89 registering with the hole I1, while within the lower end 20 is a grooved or reduced portion 2! upon this rod which projects through and engages with the previously-mentioned resilient disc ll so that when the suspended portion of the resilient disc H is moved up or down, the rod l8 will follow, due to its connection therewithin the groove 2|, while the opposite is also true that the rod upon being moved by having the lower end 20 thereof engaged against a support 22 will not only cause the upper pointed end l9 to be thrust up through the hole or aperture, ll, but the disc I I will also follow in movement. When the lower end 20 of the rod 58 is not supported but simply suspended by its connection to the central portion of disc H, as when the shaker is held in the hand or otherwise removed from a support, as particularly shown in Figure 4, the rod will by gravity cause the central area of the disc to sag in the opening [2 in flange Ill, thereby removing the upper pointed end H! from the discharge opening l! in the cap l5.

In order to guide the rod l8 accurately so that even when the point I9 is fully withdrawn from the aperture I1 and then insure that the P0 1 9 Wi l be properly guided into the aperture again and simultaneously break up concretions of salt'that may adhere in the aperture or to the under side of the dome portion 16 at 23, for example, a cross-piece 24 having a pair of end lugs 25, 25 is fixed within the wall of the shaker body 6 intermediate the ends thereof by riveting or screwing the lugs 25 in place, or simply by forcing the cross-piece in position with a stiff frictional fit so that it will certainly remain in place. In the cross-piece 24 is an aperture 25 through which the rod 18 slidably extends and due to its lower connection with the central portion of the disc H by its groove 2|, as well as the slidable engagement in aperture 26, the upper end l9 will be capable of reciprocating through this aperture for breaking up the salt concretions, as already intimated.

When salt is to be introduced into the shaker, the cap is simply unscrewed and the salt poured in to a point above the middle of the shaker body 6, and the cap then replaced. As soon as the shaker is lifted, the weight of the rod l8, as well as of the salt within the shaker, will tend to cause the suspended central area of the resilient disc II to sag, as particularly shown in Figure 4, when the discharge opening I! willbe opened due to the withdrawal of the pointed end 19 of rod [8, and when the shaker is then held more or less in a'horizontal position and partly inverted, the salt will issue from the discharge opening I! to the extent desired. When the shaker is again placed upon a support 22, the lower end 20 of the rod l8 will naturally engage against the support and project the point [9 thereof through the'aperture ll, filling it for the time being, so that salt concretions cannot accumulate in the opening, while at all times, due to the smooth condition of the rod which is free from shoulders or projections, the latter will readily slide through the opening 26 in crosspiece 24 serving to guide the rod and retain it in guided central position.

The shaker may be made of plastic, wood, metal or of any suitable material, this referring particularly to the cylindrical hollow body 6, as well as base 8 and cap l-5, while the cross-piece 24 may either be of metal or of plastic cemented in place, while the resilient disc ll is preferably of natural or artificial rubber or resilient plastic, and the rod [8 either of plastic or of metal.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may be modified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A condiment holder, comprising an upstanding container adapted to hold the condiment and having a top provided with an aperture, the container including a bottom having a relatively large opening arranged substantially in vertical alignment with the aperture of the top, an elastic disc secured to the bottom of the container and extending over the opening therein and having an aperture, and an upstanding rod mounted within the container for reciprocation and having its top end extending into the aperture of the top, the lower end of the rod extending through the aperture of the disc for connecting the rod and disc and below the disc so that it may contact the surface which supports the condiment holder, whereby the top end of the rod is maintained within the aperture of the top, the elastic disc sagging under the weight of the rod when the condiment holder is lifted, the rod thereby being lowered so that its top end passes out of the aperture of the top and its lower end projects below the bottom of the container.

2. A condiment holder, comprising an upstanding tubular body portion adapted to hold the condiment and having a top provided with a, central aperture, a detachable bottom for the tubular body portion and having a relatively large central opening arranged-substantially in vertical alignment with the aperture of the top, an elastic disc clamped between the lower end of the tubular body portion and detachable bottom and extending over the opening of the bottom, the disc having a small central aperture, an upstanding straight rod arranged within the tubular body portion for reciprocation and having its top end extending into the aperture of the top, the rod having an annular groove near and above its lower end, the lower end of the rod being insertible through-the small aperture of the elastic disc, said small aperture closing about the rod within the annular groove thereof for connecting the rod with the disc so that the lower end of'the rod extends below the disc for engagement upon the surface which supports the condiment holder, whereby the top of the rod is held within the aperture of the top for closing such aperture, the elastic disc sagging under the weight of the rod When the condiment holder is lifted, the rod thereby being lowered so that its top'end will open the aperture of the top and its lower end will project below the detachable bottom, and a fixed guide for the rod and mounted within the tubular body portion.

MOZEL A. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

